This invention relates to heater temperature control systems, and more particularly, to swimming pool gas, oil or electric heater temperature control systems where the heater is used as a supplemental heat source for a solar heated swimming pool.
Many prior art systems have been developed to control the temperature of conventional gas, oil and electric swimming pool heaters. Basically, these systems include a thermostat which senses the temperature of the pool water and energizes the heater when the water temperature is below a preset temperature level. This temperature level is set by the user to achieve a comfortable swimming temperature in the pool.
Control systems have also been developed in the prior art to adapt the use of solar collectors for heating a swimming pool in an effort to minimize energy consumption. Typically, these systems include means for diverting pool water to the solar collectors whenever the collector temperature exceeds the pool water temperature.
A large number of swimming pool installations include both a conventional gas, oil or electric heater and a solar collector system to heat the pool water. The objective of these installations is to use the conventional heater as an alternate heat source when there is insufficient solar heat available. Unfortunately these prior art systems result in excessive use of the conventional heater, offsetting the energy saving feature of the solar collectors.
None of the prior art temperature control systems are designed to optimize the use of a conventional heater as a supplemental heat source in a solar heating system. An ideal supplemental heat source is one that adapts to the amount of solar heat available, adding heat to the solar heating system only as required, minimizing the consumption of energy while maintaining the desired pool water temperature.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved swimming pool heater temperature control system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a temperature control system which uses a conventional heater as a supplemental heat source in a solar heating system.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a temperature control system which adapts to the amount of solar heat available in a manner which maintains the desired pool water temperature while minimizing the use of the supplemental heater.